To Second Chances and Mixed Up Dreams
by Rosel
Summary: Rewrite of Selfless, Brave, and True. August tries to earn the redemention he had gotten by figuring out what Tamara is up to, but he can't do it alone so he enlists Neal and Emma's help.
1. Chapter 1

**To Second Chances and Mixed Up Dreams**

**Disclaimer: I Don't Own OUAT if I did August would not turn into a freaking kid! **

Emma knelt beside a wooden dying August, unable to fully process everything. It was all happening so fast and happening again. He was this wooden man dying again; it was that horrible day all over again. He was trying to say something to her. His wooden lips went so close to her ear. She could have sworn she heard a small voice but she could not make it out, she desperately scattered her brain trying strain her hearing to figure it out. Before she got a chance to hear him he fell to the ground and became immobile. Then that was it? He was dead; he had died in her arms again. Part of the reason she never told anyone it happened the first time was because she didn't want to have to relive that awful moment. Now it was happening again and there was nothing she could do about it. She got up defeated but then pushed through her moment of despair she could not be lost in grief she could not let him die in vain. He came to warn her about something. She had to find out what the warning was supposed to be, she needed this to focus on so she would not fall to pieces, because she needed August. She needed to talk to him for so long, especially now that Neal was in town with Tamara, especially since she was trying to deal with the fall out of her lie, and dealing with her mother's unimaginable guilt. Now she had to bury it like she always did they had to find out what happened. She needed to know why he died. She had to know who did this.

Then Henry said, "Selfless, brave, and true. That was what he had to be for the Blue Fairy to bring him back to life. We need the Blue Fairy."

On cue the Blue Fairy came rushing in and said, "You're right. I will try."

She then waved her wand at August and then he changed back into the flesh and blood August she knew and loved. Emma's joy flooded her whole body. She had an out pour of relief and she grabbed August unbelievably happy to see him.

"Emma." He looked at her in shock and then he looked all around him seeing everyone standing there. Neal rushed to the scene confused about what was going on. He saw his father Gepetto on the other side of him so filled with joyful tears.

"My son."

"Papa I am so sorry I failed you." August said.

"No, I'm sorry I failed you I put too big of a burden on you. But here you are, you earned your redemption. You did what was right. I am proud, son." He said as he touched August's scruffy face.

August looked back at Emma who still had her hands on his arms unwilling to let go.

She then helped him up, her hands still entangled with his.

Then she said, "August there was something you wanted to warn us about."

"There was."

He looked at all of his on lookers and saw Tamara leaning on Neal's shoulder.

Then Emma asked, "What is it?"

He looked at her deep in the eyes and said, "I'm sorry. I…everything is fuzzy. I don't remember anything."

He looked back at Tamara who had a satisfied look on her face.

Emma caressed his cheek and said, "Its okay, I am sure you will remember soon."

August smiled at her happy she seemed so happy that he was okay. Everyone seemed over taken with joy even Neal.

The Blue Fairy looked at him all knowing and sweet in her way and she said, "August you have your second chance now, do better."

She looked at him with a knowing glint in her eye. He kind of shivered a bit. He took a deep breath and looked back at Tamara. Okay so it was probably a bad thing that when he gets his 'second' or really is it like his 'third chance' to show he can be selfless, brave, and true in his first breath he lies. It's not exactly proving his 'truthful salt'. But as he looked back at Tamara sweetly holding Neal's hand it made him sick. He wasn't given this second chance to waist it. He could not reveal it right now and risk Tamara just leaving or retaliating violently to all of these people who he cared about.

He looked up at the Blue Fairy and said, "Thank you. I will not waste this chance, your magic worked for a reason and I will make things right.

He looked at her one last moment hoping she got his point.

Then he went to his father and hugged him. He could feel him cry into his shoulder. He took his father's hug in, not believing his papa could actually be proud of him. He dreamed of this moment for so long of seeing his papa and of making him proud, but for so long he was sure that moment would never come. He had messed up too much. Somehow someway here he was hugging his papa with most of the people who he cared about looking on him happy to see him.

Then Henry went up to him and hugged him next. The kid looked at him pleased and filled with joy. It touched his heart.

Then Emma went to embrace him again. He was about to let go so he could continue on his August tour of hugs. He figured Neal would hug him next with that happy relieved look on his face. But then Emma pulled him back to her. She embraced him one more time and then she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him square on the lips. He was completely shocked and stammered. He got lost in her lips for second, his lips brushed against hers not thinking about it fully. She was filled with such happiness and relief and so was he, he couldn't believe it. This was another thing he thought about but was sure would never happen; because he was sure he didn't deserve Emma. But then here she was kissing him in front of everyone, in front of Neal. Oh crap. Neal. He was the reason why he didn't try _too hard_ to pursue Emma romantically.

He shot Neal an apologetic look. Neal gave him a weak smile. If it upset him he tried to hide it and brush it off. Then August parted from Emma, walked up to Neal and shook Neal's hand first loosely until their grips tightened and then after a moment the hand shake transformed into a bear hug.

He was filled with such love he couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that all of these people cared about him even after everything he did and didn't do. They were all so happy he was getting a second chance. He had to make it worth it.

After everything dispersed he went home with his father. His father made some dinner and they both just sat silently. It wasn't awkward or weird it was just a nice comfortable silence between father and son. He hadn't had a meal with his papa since he was seven years old. He just enjoyed being here with him. His papa seemed to feel the same way. He thanked his papa and did the dishes like a good son should do. Then he told him he had to go see Emma. That brought a smile to his father's lips. Apparently he approved of the relationship. He sighed. He still felt at loss of what he was doing but hoped that it would work. Everyone else saw him as already redeemed like one act completely undid all of his mistakes, he knew that wasn't true. How could it be true especially since in his first breath he lied?

He knocked on the door Emma opened it happy to see him. She wrapped her arms around him ready to kiss him. He pushed her away and said, "Emma we need to talk."

"We can talk later. August you have no idea how much I missed you, how much I needed you." Emma said.

"I missed you too. But that's not why I'm here. We need to talk." August said.

He looked and saw Snow and Charming in the kitchen and Henry was sitting reading on the stairway. He then said, "Can you come with me so we can talk in private?"

"Sure." Emma said as she grabbed her coat. She told Henry she wouldn't be long and left with August.

When they arrived outside a smile spread across her lips as she saw his motorcycle, she hopped on the back holding tight to him.

He drove her to the well. Emma smiled and teased, "Did you bring some real drinks this time?"

"Sorry, Emma not this time." August said still trying to conjure up the courage to do what he had to do.

"It's always next time with you." She said smirking.

August sighed.

"August relax, you're here now everything is better." Emma said seeming to be on cloud nine, which really didn't make any sense to him. Shouldn't she be pissed at him?

"It's not. I lied." August said bluntly. There was no point in beating around the bush.

"I know but it's in the past and you proved..." Emma said defending him.

"No I'm not talking about the past. I lied when I told you I didn't remember." August confessed.

Emma's smile disappeared and her disapproving scowl surfaced and she asked, "Really? In your first moments of redemption you lie. Did you not learn anything at all?"

"Yeah, I learned you don't say too much to your enemies or they'll kill you." August muttered.

"Your enemies? You mean whoever killed you was there?" Emma asked shocked.

"Yeah."

Emma thought about it for like a second and said, "Tamera?"

"Yep."

"That bitch! That little…. Ohhhhhh. She decided to come in my town to visit my ex and she … just killed you. You could have been gone for good. How could she? What is she up to? Alright thanks for the info. We should get back in town so I can…" Emma started to walk past him in a fury.

August stopped her looking her in those eyes of hers asked,

"What are you going to do, Emma? Kill her?"

"Book her, throw her ass in jail until she tells me what in the hell is she up to!" Emma yelled fierce ready to do something.

"On what charges?" August asked.

" Well I don't know murder." Emma replied.

"I'm alive it won't stick, besides if behind bars we won't be able to figure out what she's up too. And there's Neal to consider. We have to tread carefully." August said.

"We? You are actually including me in your plans for once." Emma said surprised.

"We do work well together. I should have included you in my plans a long time ago. An apology will never do justice of how sorry and how filled with regret I am." August said his voice cracked filled with emotion.

Emma looked up at August and put her hand with in his and said, "Hey you're here now that's what matters."

"I was going to leave and get the easy fix, but I couldn't leave when I realized that Tamara killed the man who provided the cure. I realized she was up to something big. I had to come back and stop her." August explained guilt still reflecting in his eyes.

"You did the right thing in the end." Emma said with stars in her eyes.

He looked at her bewildered in disbelief at this amazing incredible woman. How could she look at him like that after everything?

Then Emma continued, "So what is your plan? You do have a plan don't you?"

"Oh, ye of little faith." August said with some of his former lighthearted flirtatious mannerisms finally coming back.

"Hey, I am a believer now remember. So what is it?" Emma asked.

"For you to distract her. You talk to her while I search her place." August said.

"Wow, that's your brilliant plan? Being a puppet made you rusty." Emma said not impressed.

"Do you have a better one?" August asked.

"Yeah, we go on a double date." Emma said with an excited smile.

"What?" August asked taken aback that did not sound like something Emma would suggest.

"We need to distract both of them and while their distracted Mary Margret can search their room." Emma said content with her plan.

"Eh. I can always distract him and…"August started to say then Emma interrupted him.

"It's not going to work. You know my plan is better." Emma said with her hands firm on her hips.

"Wouldn't that be awkward? I thought that would be the last thing you would want to do." August said.

"It is but it's the smartest way to go about it." Emma claimed.

He stood there contemplatively for a moment searching her face and asked, "You're not trying to get Neal jealous are you?"

"What? Of course not. Who do you take me for some petty teenager?" Emma asked.

"Well, you never got to go through that phase in your life because of me." August said downtrodden feeling the weight of all of his regret accumulated from his entire life.

"Stop beating yourself up Pinocchio." Emma commanded.

"Emma I know you're still… I saw you back then and how in love you were. Feelings like that just don't go away." August said clouded with the regretful memories.

Emma shrugged not really wanting to deal with this. August was back and he was filled with so much regret. She didn't want to rehash the past. She didn't to think about her life back then. Beyond irritated she said, "I was 18. That was over a decade ago. I'm over it. If you thought we were so in love back then, then why did you tell him to leave me?"

"I thought I was protecting you. I thought I was sending you down the right path. It wasn't until that night when I told you everything and you just wouldn't believe that I realized I was the one who built that huge wall around your heart, which is the reason why you were so skeptical and wouldn't believe, it was because of what I did. I messed up. If it weren't for me, you, Henry, and Neal could be a family." August said shaking from the over compassing pain that the massive regretful guilt brought on.

"You're right you did mess it up, but you weren't the only one who did. You didn't force him to do anything. He doesn't regret it at all. He thought he did the right thing. He thought he was helping bringing me home. You regret it and are owning up to it. That's the difference." Emma said trying not to cry. All of her hurt and rage was rising back up. She felt like she was being brought back to the moment when Neal told her that he left her because August told him. When Neal told her she could not blame August all of her blame went to Neal. She couldn't think of August's part in it. She thought August was dead. She could not blame a ghost. And now here August was taking all of the blame on himself. Here he was wishing he didn't do it. He regretted it, wishing he could've done things different. It didn't undo all of the damage, it didn't change the past, but it made her feel grateful that he at least regretted it. At least he felt bad about it. At least he apologized.

"He did regret having to let you go." August defended Neal.

"Why are you trying to put us back together?" Emma asked in defense mode. The last thing she wanted to hear was August defense of Neal. She was so happy to see August alive and back in her life and he's bringing up Neal, he's insisting there is something between them. Why was he doing that? Did he not want her?

"I'm not." August said simply not knowing what else to say.

"Are you sure about that?" Emma asked searching for any other sign that he wanted to push her and Neal together for some ridiculous unfathomable reason.

"I just want you to be happy." August simply said.

"Then let me be." Emma urged as she moved close to him.

His breath hitched feeling the proximity of her, he leaned back into the well and she wrapped her arms around him and came in for a kiss. He then he held her upper arms pushing her away and said,

"I want this…but…I just don't think I deserve it. At least not yet."

His strong hands caressed her forearms back and forth.

She breathed into him and said, "I am not some prize you get for being good. I am just me. And I just need you."

Their eyes locked as she waited for him to respond.

"I'm not sure you do." August said still trying to figure it all out. Not sure if he was expressing it all properly.

She backed away from him getting tired. She didn't want to continue to argue with him the sun was setting and it would get dark soon.

"So what do we do?" Emma asked absolutely warn out with all of this pulling out the past and picking at it.

"I'm not sure. I can't…" August stammered.

"No I mean about Tamara?" Emma said, ready to get back to the actual thing that mattered right now and that was to bring Tamara to justice and figure out what in the world she was up to.

After a few moments of contemplation August pursed his lips and said, "Fine, we'll do it your way."

Emma gave him a triumphant smile and then said, "Let's do this."

Neal sat at the bar in the Rabit Hole drinking his beer when August sat next to him.

"Hey, welcome back to the world of the flesh and blood." Neal said and then he ordered August a beer.

"Thanks it's good to be back." August said as he grabbed his drink.

"I bet." Neal said with a slight grimace on his face and then he took a swig of his drink.

"I think we need to talk about Emma." August said.

"I kind of figured." Neal replied trying to keep things light. August knew if Neal was feeling any discomfort or hurt he was hiding it.

August took a deep breath, nervous and said, "I never meant for any this to happen."

"August it's ok. I can't blame you for falling for her." Neal reassured him.

"I know but…" August said.

"It's fine. I moved on." Neal said.

That did not reassure him at all.

"Yeah, Tamara. You never mentioned her before." He said ready to tread carefully.

"We actually met after you left to go to Story Brooke." Neal said.

"And you're already engaged. That is kind of fast, man." August noted.

"Love works fast sometimes." Neal said.

"Yeah." August agreed with that.

Then he continued, "We want to get know her. Maybe we could all go out to dinner or something."

"We?" Neal asked.

"Emma and I." August said not really looking at Neal. He knew this was the plan. He and Emma decided it was the best course of action but it still was awkward even addressing it to Neal since the last time he talked to him face to face he was telling Neal all about how he could be reunited with Emma.

"Look we already did that awkward meal thing. Emma wasn't thrilled with the idea." Neal said remembering the instance with a grimace on his face.

"I think she wants to make up for that. This was her idea." August said.

"Really?"

"Really."

Neal looked at him for a second and asked, "Is she trying to make me jealous?"

"Possibly." August admitted.

"And you're okay with that?" Neal inquired looking intently at his friend trying to figure him out.

"Eh. We have bigger problems to worry about." August said shrugging.

"Like what?" Neal asked curious.

"The warning." August said serious.

"You still don't remember?" Neal asked August searching his face. He remembered that moment when he saw him lying on the ground dying all because he was trying to do the right thing and warn them of some deadly foe. It would have really sucked to lose him like that. To say he was relieved was an understatement but he knew August wouldn't be satisfied until he remembered.

"No." August said simply. He then took a sip of his drink careful not to look Neal in the eye.

Really? He thought his pal was supposed to be a better liar then that.

Neal looked at him for a moment and said, "You're lying."

"What?" August asked taken aback.

"You are lying straight through your teeth, Pinocchio! I thought you were done with all of that!" Neal said pissed.

August huffed annoyed and said, "I'm doing it for a reason."

"There is always a reason with you. What happened to not wasting your chance?" Neal asked disappointed. He understood life in this world was hard but he also knew that August wanted a second chance at life and he thought he would do what he needed to get it.

August just sat there silent playing with the label on the beer bottle.

"August tell me. What's going on?" Neal pleaded.

August looked around the bar; there were a few people here and there. He couldn't take his chances and then he said, "Fine, I'll tell you but not here."

Then they went outside in the deserted alley. August made sure there was no one around.

"So how well do you know Tamara?" August asked.

"I know that I love her." Neal said already in defense mode.

"Seriously? You do realize how cliché that sounds right?"

"You should know, you're the writer."

"So do you know anything else, like where is she from, who her parents are, and what does she do for a living?" August questioned.

"Connecticut, her parents own a flower shop there, and she's in advertising. August why are you really grilling me on my fiancé? What's going on?" Neal responded not pleased with the line of questioning.

"You have to be careful who you bring into this life. It's not just about you anymore. You have to think about Henry and Emma too." August answered.

"I know that." Neal said a bit uneased at being questioned about how he's handling everything.

"Do you?"

"What are you getting at?" Neal asked suspicion seeping through.

"Do you remember the girl I told you about from Hong Kong?" August asked.

"The girl who you stole the money from to cure yourself. Yeah. People really shouldn't trust you around money." Neal said some bitterness seeping through.

August chose to ignore that last comment. They didn't have time to rehash that now. It still amazed him that his friend still was his friend after that horrible indiscretion.

"Well, that girl was Tamara." August said.

"What?!" Neal shouted in disbelief. That could not be real. His already shaky world felt like it was crumbling right underneath his feet. Tamara was supposed to be his stability.

"She killed that Sage who was going to cure me. She's up to something Neal. I think she wants to take the magic in Story Brooke." August finally admitted.

"Why would she want to do that?" Neal asked still not being able to believe that his sweet Tamara would do anything like that.

"I don't know why. That's why I lied. We need to find out what she's up to. So we can stop it." August urged.

Neal brushed an agitated hand through his hair and said, "I can't believe this! First you tell me to leave Emma and now this. It's like you want to see me miserable."

"Oh come on Neal. Why would I lie about this?"

"I don't know. You are Pinocchio." Neal said waving his hands around over dramatically.

"Nice."

"Tamara wouldn't do all of that. She wouldn't hurt anyone. She's good." Neal's voice faltered.

"How do you know? What has it been like six months?" August asked.

"It took less than that for you to fall for Emma." Neal countered with resentment filled in his voice.

August chose to ignore that comment. They couldn't make this about Emma. They had to focus on the problem at hand and that was Tamara.

"Just think about it Neal. Has she ever brushed you off? Has she ever left the room to make a phone call? Are there any signs of her betrayal?" August asked.

"She's private and so am I." Neal defended weakly.

He shook his head.

"She played you Neal. How can you not see that?" August asked.

Neal threw his scarf around his neck and said, "I can't do this right now. I need time to think!"

"Don't tell her. Her reaction will be a bad one." August cautioned.

Neal shrugged his shoulders and left without another word.

He hoped Neal was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. He knew he needed to give Neal some space. It was a lot to take.

He then took his phone out and called Emma.

"Hey so how did you're bro talk go? Are we on for our double date tomorrow?" Emma asked cheery.

"Uh, I told Neal about Tamara." August said getting straight to the point.

"You did what?! Why? Why would you do that?" Emma shouted in her phone in shocked disbelief this really threw a wrench in her plan.

"He saw through my BS. I had to tell him the truth." August said.

That did not please her at all. What did Neal have some kind of lie detector like her? Or was it the fact that Neal and August were just that close of friends that he saw through him? That thought did not make her happy in the least.

"So how did he take it?" Emma asked weary.

"Not good. He didn't believe me. He just needs some time." August said hoping that was all there was to it.

"What if he tells her?" Emma asked stating his own fears.

"Going there to stop him will only make things worse. All we can do is hope he's smarter than that." August said again hoping that his assessment of the situation was right.

"Uh. Where are you?" Emma asked.

"At the Rabbit Hole." August said.

"Perfect you can buy that drink you owe me." Emma said her chipper mood returning.

Emma hung up not giving him a chance to object.

Emma and August sat there on the round table across from each other drinking and going through ridiculous scenarios of how they were going to bring her down.

Emma joked, "How about I turn her into a spider and then put the spider into a box and put that box into another box and then smash it with a hammer!"

August laughed happy to see her silliness come out.

"So I see you've been catching up you're Disney movies with Henry." August said.

"Yes, well they should good for something."

"Yeah, you probably shouldn't use an evil ugly witch as your role model." August said.

"Well, I have magic I should be able to use it." Emma pouted.

August stared at her for second and then asked,

"Wait. You're not just joking. You really have magic?"

"Yep, I just found out recently." Emma said not sure how August would react.

He was made out of magic so he didn't seem to share Neal's dislike for it.

"That's pretty cool Emma."

She smiled relieved wondering why she'd be worried at all.

Then August said, "Well, in all seriousness, I wouldn't use your magic around her. Since magic is what she's after."

"Right." Emma said a little disappointed. She knew she really wasn't going to do something ridiculous as she joked about with her magic, but she was getting use to the idea of finding ways to help through it. In this world filled with magic that went against them to hurt the people she cared about, it was nice she had power to fight back.

Then suddenly Neal sat down between the two of them and took a long big gulp of August's drink.

They both stared at him bewildered. He did not look good at all. His face was run down in despair.

Then he finally looked up and said, "So…. Tamara is cheating on me."

He then took another long swig of August's beer.

August looked at his friend feeling so bad for him. He did hate that he seemed to be kicked around so much. It pissed him off that this girl would take advantage of him like that. Given the fact how conveniently she was here and she was up to something didn't make him think that it was true love or anything but it definitely was not fun to see Neal looking so defeated.

Emma yelled, "Why that whorish slut!"

The whole bar turned around to look at her.

She sat down keeping her voice low, "Well the fact that she's a skank shouldn't surprise me since she's already a murderer. Well that's it. I'm taking the bitch down!"

She shot up in a rage.

Neal and August both pulled her down at the same time.

"What? I was just going to throw her in jail."

"Under what charges? You can't put someone in jail for cheating." August said.

"You should." Emma stated.

"Then half of the population would be in jail." August said.

"Damn our stupid flawed society!" Emma complained and took another drink. She looked at the beer and said, "Not strong enough."

She twisted her hand waving for a waiter. It didn't take long. Then a waiter came over and Emma said, "3 Vodkas! Straight up!"

"No, we need to be clear headed Emma." August said as he signaled for the waiter leave.

The waiter looked between the two confused and then he scurried away.

"Clear headed? You do realize we're at bar right?" Emma asked.

Then Neal said, "Yeah, I'm with Emma on this one. I just found out my fiancé is screwing some dweeb. I need something stronger."

"No, we need to figure out a plan." August said rationally.

"You are such a buzz kill. Today sucked we need to have fun." Emma huffed.

"No, I've had way too much fun in my life. I have a second chance. I don't want to screw it up." August said.

"Fine. So do you have another brilliant plan?" Emma asked.

"I'm thinking. Maybe we should brainstorm." August suggested.

Neal said, "How about you two brainstorm while I dump the harlot in a really dramatic humiliating way."

"No you can't dump her!" Emma protested.

"Why not?" Neal asked out raged.

"Cuz, if you do she'll be suspicious. Plus you have a key opportunity to figure out what she is up to." Emma said.

"You want me to be a spy?" Neal asked appalled.

"Awwwwe thanks for volunteering. That's so sweet." Emma said as she matted his hair.

"I wasn't volunteering. I can't stay with that woman and pretend everything is okay." Neal complained.

"Sure you can. You've been pretending you are someone who you're not for years. It should be easy for you." Emma said bitterly.

"Forging a new life and trying to forget where you come from is different than straight out lying."

Neal griped.

"Look, Emma has a point, we don't want her to get suspicious and retaliate before we figure out a plan." August said.

"We do have a plan. This sounds like a good plan to me. Since you're close to her, you can figure out what she's up to." Emma said.

"Can't we figure out another way? I mean I haven't suspected anything, it means she's been careful. It's not like she'll have a memo on her phone called 'my evil plan'." Neal said.

"But she might have some type of clue that can lead us to find out more." August said.

Neal pulled his head down in defeat and said, "Fine but this isn't all there is to the plan. I can't just figure out what she's up to on my own. We need a better plan. Besides, this is supposed to be August's epic redemptive mission. I can't do all of the work."

Then August said, "So we're all in this together. We'll figure out what she's up to and save Story Brooke."

"So wow, we're really doing this? We're all working together?" Emma asked bemused.

"Yeah, I guess so." Neal said.

Then August raised his glass and said, "To bring the bitch down!"

Emma and Neal raised their glasses and then they clinked all their glasses together as they repeated, "To bringing the bitch down!"

**A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you like it. Let me know. Okay so after watching the latest horror that was called an episode I had to write a fix it fic I just had to. So if anyone has read my OUAT fics before they might surmise that I am a Swanfire fan but I'm also a Wooden Swan fan but I'm also a Firewood fan. So I wanted to do a Wooden Swan fix it fic but since I have been into WoodenSwanFire it might be another OT3 fic. Though I really want to put my emphasis on Wooden Swan. I will try really hard not to make it a threesome fic but I can't make any promises. Anyway this really is first and foremost my August Redemption fic. And this is a not a one shot because there are issues to be resolved and redemption takes time. Okay so Emma might be a little OOC in this but it was fun to write and I kind of think that these two boys brings it out of her. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I Don't Own OUAT**

August woke up smelling eggs and bacon. As he walked into the kitchen he saw Gepetto fixing breakfast while Jiminy set the table. He set a third place for him. It shouldn't surprise him; he knew that Gepetto and Archie had breakfast together all of the time. They were best friend's pre curse being broken and Jiminy always joined them for breakfast in the Enchanted Forest.

"Papa?" August asked feeling like a little boy when saying it but it was what he always called him.

"Pinochio, you're up. I'm glad. We made breakfast. Are eggs ok?" Gepetto asked meekly.

"Yeah, they're fine." August said sitting. It would take some adjusting to wake up and eat breakfast with his father and his father's best friend.

"I am glad you are okay." Jiminy said sincerely.

"Thanks." August said while staring at his food.

Of all of the people from the Enchanted Forest he dreaded meeting the most, it was Jiminy Cricket. Of course he was afraid of the disappointment of Gepetto and the Blue Fairy but Gepetto was there before when he was a puppet. He saw him fail before. He was there to lead and guide him and he still failed. He messed up at every opportunity he had to make the right choice. He succumbed to temptation every time it was presented to him. It was like his whole life just repeated what his puppet life was like. He made wrong choice after wrong choice until he did one grand gesture of bravery and then he was saved. His failure shouldn't surprise Jiminy in the least.

"Pinochio. You're father told me what happened. I am proud." He said with his sensitive voice.

August slammed his fork down and said, "Don't even pretend with me cricket."

"What?" Jiminy asked surprised but unrattled, not much could rattle him.

"I know you're not thrilled that history repeated itself." August said annoyed.

"You did what was right in the end." Gepetto reassured him.

"In the end, just like last time." August said.

"It is true but this time you can do better and now you have people who care about you here to help you. So let us." Archie said sincerely.

August sighed looking at him. He should be happy that everyone is so ready to forgive him so easily, that his loved ones actually believe in him. It was unfathomable to him, it didn't make sense. He still had this overwhelming fear of failure. He did not feel he was worth forgiveness, he had not even begun to earn it yet, he didn't know if he ever could. He did not feel like continuing his argument though it felt pointless.

"I know." He said.

"I know you have been through a lot. If you need to talk about it, please come by." Jiminy said sensitively.

"You mean you're still a shrink?" August asked.

"A lot of people are confused about their lives they led as cursed and their lives in the Enchanted Forest. They need someone to talk to. So yes, my doors are still open even after everything that has happened."

August wanted to brush him off; he didn't want to talk about it. He just wanted to do stuff. He wanted to focus on finding out what ever Tamera was up to and maybe he could at least start to feel a little better, like he wasn't given this second chance for no reason, like maybe he can actually do some good. What good would be sitting down and confessing all of his sins do? He just had to do something. Actions are what really counted in the end right? So he had to try. He had to focus on what he could do, instead of opening up old wounds and dwelling on the past.

"Thanks for the offer I appreciate it but I am going to be busy today." August said simply, hoping that he didn't have to explain himself further.

"Oh, what are your plans?" Gepetto asked wanting to know eagerly. He looked at his father seeing that wanting to know what was going on in his son's life. It was a strange thing to sit here with his dad and tell him his plans. He hasn't had anyone to care what he was up to and ask for his plans since he was a little boy. For a moment he wanted to forget everything and just spend time with his father maybe repair some old clocks together or build something. But that would be selfish and he could not be selfish any longer he had to focus on figuring out what Tamera was up to.

"I am helping Emma with a problem." He said simply.

"It is about the warning isn't it? Do you remember?" Gepetto asked eager.

August looked at his father as guilt was seething through his pores. He could not lie to his papa not again. But the last thing he wanted to do was admit in his first breath of his second chance that he lied.

"I do." He simply said hoping that would suffice.

Gepetto nodded and seemed to be satisfied with his simple response but Jiminy was a different story. He looked at him for a moment more and then asked, "Pinocchio is there something you wish to tell us?"

"No." August said simply.

Then Jiminy said, "Pinocchio even lies of omission are still lies. You do know that."

August huffed frustrated couldn't the cricket just let him be?

Gepetto gave Jiminy a disapproving look. Even if he somehow could tell that August was holding something back he did not want Jiminy to disturb this nice reunion that he was having with his son. He didn't want anything to push his son away.

Then Gepetto said, "You do not have to go into details if you do not wish to."

August appreciated his father so much right at that moment and gave him a small smile. Jiminy's knowing look of guilt did not help though. He could not just brush it off. He knew he was right though deep down. He didn't want to go on the huge list of confessing all of his sins throughout his life.

He took a deep breath and said, "You are right Jiminy there is something I was holding back. The truth is I do remember about the warning, in fact I never lost the memory at all. I always knew."

"Pinocchio you lied?" Gepetto asked sorrow edged throughout his face in disappointment.

"Yes, I am sorry but at the time, I thought it was best because the person I was warning Emma about was there." August explained hoping that explanation would suffice.

Both Gepetto and Jiminy nodded in understanding. Then Jiminy then asked, "Was it the new comers?"

"Oh, yes well one of them. Tamera, Neal's fiancée." August said.

"Neal? Are you sure he is not assisting her?" Jiminy asked.

"I am sure. She wants magic he hates it. I doubted him for a second as well but I know he has nothing to do with it. Tamera tried to kill me so she can get to the magic in Story Brooke." August said.

Then Jiminy asked, "How do you know he hates magic?"

"Oh, well, he is Rumplestilskin's son. He came here to this land to get away from magic, besides we are friends. He had no idea what she was up to."

Both Gepetto and Jiminy looked surprised.

"He's Rumplestilskins son?! I thought he was Henry's father." Gepetto said.

"He's both." August said.

Jiminy's expression changed and he looked at him seriously and he asked, "You are friends with Rumplestilskin's son?"

"Yes." August said beginning to get nervous at Jiminy's reaction. It looked like this deeply disturbed him which seemed off to him. Jiminy did not seem the type to judge someone based on who their family are.

"So out of all of the people in that big wide world, in that land without magic, you just bumped into Rumplestilskin's son?" He asked skeptical and a bit appalled.

He did not like this line of questioning and he did not like how the wheels seem to be turning in Jiminy's head. Why did that bother him so much?

"Well, we did not. I tracked him down by tracking Emma down." August said moving the eggs around on his plate.

"I do not understand. How did you become friends with him but not ever meet Emma until Story Brooke? She acted like she has never met you before." Jiminy asked confused and a bit disturbed, that look gave August a bad feeling. He shrugged the strange feeling away and focused on the explaining himself.

"Yes, well we did not meet, until I came here. I wanted to introduce myself to her and tell her and help bring her to Story Brooke but…it got complicated."

This was exactly what he wanted to avoid. He did not want to pick at the scab of his past. It was bad enough having to talk about it to Emma. He knew that they knew he messed up but he did not want to go into the details.

It looked like Jiminy wanted to ask for more details but Gepetto stopped him and said, "Well, no matter you are here now trying to make up for your past mistakes. That is what matters."

He had a sincere smile on and took August's hand within his.

August nodded at his father's smile and admired his unconditional love. His father always amazed him.

"Thank you papa." He said as he looked at his father with complete gratefulness. He could not comprehend such love from his father. He was always afraid of his father's disappointed face. He was afraid his father would call him a failure, but he supposed that was the result of to many drunken nights filled with self-pity.

Then Jiminy asked, "So I heard you visited Emma and her family last night."

"Mostly just Emma." August said.

"Oh, so you did not get a chance to talk to Mary Margret?" Jiminy asked.

"No." August said.

"That is a shame you should see her. She is going through a hard time. She won't see me but I was wondering if you talked to her…" Jiminy pled.

"Why would she need to see you she's Snow White? Her family's back together and ..."

Then Jiminy said, "She killed Cora, Regina's mother."

August almost fell out of the chair.

He thought about how she said that we all have done things we regret. He looked at her like she was just someone who said that. She could not possibly know what it felt like to have this deep dark guilt that made everything hurt. She talked to him like she knew what that felt like but he didn't believe her. She was Snow White after all. She was the pure kind hearted hero of the story. He thought of all people to understand about guilt would be Snow White. He felt like scum.

"I will do that." August said sincerely and he meant it. She was another one who he owed an apology to.

Jiminy said, "Well, I better get going. Thank you for breakfast Gepetto. It was good to see you, Pinnocchio, please stop by my office when you have a chance."

August reluctantly nodded. He did not want to go but he supposed it was inevitable. He still had all of this guilt, all he wanted to do was do things, he just wanted to make up for his past, but he knew the cricket would not stop persisting.

Emma woke up in blur and saw her alarm clock, she sat up in a start, she was late. She hurried down stairs and yelled, "Henry! We're late!"

She stopped in the middle of the stairs as she saw Mary Margret on the stove cooking. It startled her since she hadn't seen her in the kitchen in so long and since yesterday was the first day she came out of bed.

"This is a surprise." Emma said pleased.

"Do you want breakfast?" Mary Margret asked chipper.

"Sure. Where are Henry and David?" Emma asked.

"David took Henry to school and then he was going to go to the Sheriff's office." Mary Margret said upbeat.

"I better get going." Emma said.

"It is okay. You do have a deputy for a reason. Besides we haven't really had a chance to talk, you do not always have to be in a rush all of the time." Mary Margret said as she took her hand.

She eyed her mother suspiciously and said, "You're surprisingly chipper."

"Yesterday was a good day. August is back. He got redemption. There is hope for me, not to mention for my daughter." She said giving her a sweet knowing smile.

"Oh here we go. You want details." Emma said exasperated.

"Of course not I am your mother. I just…I wouldn't mind to know if my daughter is on the road to get her own little happy ending." Mary Margret said with that knowing smile not leaving her.

Emma sighed and said, "I'm not so sure about that."

"Really? Because August did drop you off, oftly late last night." She said not really hiding the innuendo in her voice.

Emma rolled her eyes and said, "Really? We are having this conversation. I thought we were stopping these little girl talks when we found out you are my mother."

"I know but… just please tell me you are not telling yourself that you had a one night stand with August." Mary Margret stated bluntly. She knew how her daughter was.

Emma remembered the talks they had about one night stands and how that was Emma's norm. But now it was different, before Mary Margret was just her roommate, now that she knew she was her mother, this conversation was starting to get awkward.

"Ugh. No we did not…nothing happened ok?" She said slightly embarrassed.

"Oh so did you guys actually go on a good old fashioned date?" Mary Margret asked intrigued with a sweet smile on.

"No, not unless you call getting drinks with him…" Emma started to say.

"Oh, that could be a date." Mary Margret interrupted hopefully.

"And Neal." She finished with a bit disappointment in her voice.

"Neal?" Mary Margret asked surprised.

"Yep." Emma said.

"Why?" Mary Margret asked looking more disappointed than her. Ever since August had come back in their lives she could tell that she wanted to help him and she didn't keep it a secret that she wanted August and Emma to be together. She did not look pleased that Neal seemed to be getting in the way.

"It's a long story but they're friends. And actually it was kind of fun hanging out with the both of them." Emma said a small smile forming on her lips thinking about it.

"Really?" Mary Margret was fascinated by that.

"Yes, really. I actually tried with August he's not interested…"

"That is just not true Emma. I saw the way he looked at you." Mary Margret said.

"He doesn't think he deserves me, like I'm some untouchable pure princess or something and I am not." Emma said frustrated.

Mary Margret gave her a small reassuring smile as she held her hand and said, "Oh, Emma maybe he just needs time, he has lived with so much guilt for so long."

Emma nodded and said, "I thought so too, but I think he also might be pulling away because of his loyalty to Neal."

"But Neal's engaged." Mary Margret stated the fact.

"Yes, well probably not for long." Emma said.

"What do you mean?" Mary Margret asked.

Emma took a deep breath and said, "Oh you know that warning he mentioned? Well, it was Tamara, Neal didn't believe August once he told him but when he tried to find her to confront her, he caught her cheating."

Mary Margret gaped at her.

"So we're all going to work together to try to bring her down." Emma said as she started to eat her eggs.

"All three of you are working together?" Mary Margret asked startled.

"Yeah."

"Do you think that's wise?" Mary Margret asked.

"It's not my first choice but Neal is right in the middle of it. We can't just pretend he doesn't exist." Emma said.

"How are you doing with that by the way with Neal being such a big part of your life now?" Mary Margret asked.

"I'm better now August is here." Emma said not really wanting to get into it.

"Are you sure?" Mary Margret asked.

"I am. The past is the past we can't do anything to change it. And it doesn't do us any good to dwell on it. I dwelled on it for far too long. I wouldn't let myself love because I dwelt on the pain of my past so much. I can't do it anymore. I just want to not think about it ever again." Emma said looking in space just saying this still reminded her of all of the years that she led in pain.

"I am glad you are trying to finally move on Emma but there is a difference between letting go of the past and ignoring it." Mary Margret said.

"What's the point? It won't fix anything thinking about it." Emma said stuffing some more eggs into her mouth.

Mary Margret sighed as she sat down on the counter next to her daughter.

Then suddenly the doorbell rang and Mary Margret went to open the door. As she did she was happy to see it was August holding a bouquet of flowers. Her smile began to grow happy that Emma seemed to be wrong in her assumption that August only wanted to remain friends.

She said with a glimmer in her eye, "August your ears must have been burning because we were just talking about you. Come in."

She opened the door letting him in and then August said, "These are for you."

Mary Margret was taken aback by that and then asked, "For me?"

"Yeah, they're my apology for acting like such a jerk to you yesterday." August said giving her that charismatic smile.

Mary Margret took the flowers and smelled them smiling sweetly and said, "Thank you August. They're beautiful I will just put them in water."

She then went into the kitchen in search of a vase.

Then Emma said, "That was sweet of you."

"It's the least I could do. I was kind of a jerk to her when she found me." August said.

"You were? Huh?" Emma asked surprised.

"What's huh?" August asked curiously.

"Well I would have never guessed that you were mean to her given how she responded. She's practically planning our wedding." Emma said light heartedly laughing a little.

"Yes, well, parents huh. My father was not exactly upset when I told him I had to see you last night either. He probably would go right with her with the wedding plans." He said.

"Yeah, note to self we must keep those two apart." Emma said with a light chuckle.

"Wouldn't want to walk into an impromptu wedding." August said playing along.

"Nope." Emma said folding her arms still laughing but now looking on the ground awkwardly.

They both awkwardly laughed a little bit and then Emma started to get a little serious and said, "How were you mean to her exactly?"

"I was a jerk. She just wanted to help and I dismissed her. I did not think anyone in the whole world could possibly know about the guilt that I carried." August said remembering the moment vividly.

She stared at him filled with intent and said, "So Gepetto told you, what happened?"

"Yeah, I feel like the world's biggest jerk. I couldn't possibly…"

Then Mary Margret came back from the kitchen took the vase with flowers and put in on the counter.

"There. Aren't they beautiful right here?" Mary Margret asked Emma.

Emma shrugged her shoulders and said, "Sure."

Then Snow asked, " Can August and I have a moment alone?"

Emma hesitated for a moment. Did she really want her mother alone with August? What would they talk about? Would she continue her meddling and trying to fix them up? Did she want that? Oh there were just so many possibilities.

Then she said, "Sure I need to get ready and get going to the Sheriff's office."

Then August looked between Emma and Snow a little afraid himself. Seeing Emma again having her on good terms with him was more than he could have hoped for. Even though he had all of this guilt that was directly related to her, her presence somehow made him feel better. Even though he knew it should make him feel worse.

They looked at each other smiling weakly until Emma finally went upstairs.

Snow noticed this and smiled at the both of them warmly. Then August turned to Snow and said, "I really am sorry. I acted like such a jerk to you completely dismissing you, or the thought that you could possibly know how it feels like to be weighed down with so much guilt."

"Then you found out from Gepetto that I killed Regina's mother." Snow said.

"Yeah. I did. I can see now you were looking to me for some type of understanding, for some type of hope that you will be able to move past it." August said intently.

"I did but I really think that you can move past what you have done as well." Snow said sincere.

"You don't even know what I have done. Well not exactly, anyway." He said his guilt still fresh on his mind.

"Leaving Emma, you were only a child given too much responsibility." Snow said.

"If it weren't for me you could have been with your daughter, you could have raised her, see her grow up. It should have been you instead of me. I failed so completely." August said downtrodden.

"I wish I could've been there too. I'll be honest with you it hurts me to think about how I missed seeing her grow up. It hurts to think about how much I missed, but that was not your fault and I cannot blame your father I would have done the same thing."

"But so many other things are my fault you have no idea." August said misery echoing in his voice.

"I know, but whatever you've done it is not so much that you cannot come back from." Snow pleaded.

He looked up at her resolutely in the eyes and said, "It's not the same. I'm sure you did what you did because you were protecting your family."

"And you never done that, you never done something you knew was wrong to protect the ones you loved?" Snow asked.

"I lied to protect Emma. But I did so much more then that I ruined her life thinking I was helping. I thought it put her on the right path but instead I made things worse. If it weren't for Henry, she probably wouldn't have broken the curse at all." August said feeling miserable just thinking about it.

"You know going over and over in your mind about all of your mistakes will not help, self-pitying and self-loathing will not help." Snow urged.

"I know that is why I have to help Emma bring down…" August said.

"Tamera?" Snow finished.

"She told you?" August asked.

"Yeah." Snow said and then she continued, "August, sit, please."

August hesitated weary, he already said enough. He didn't know how much more of this dwelling and drowning in the regret of his mistakes he could take.

"Actually I can't stay long."

"It won't take long." Snow said as she sat down on the bar stool.

August slowly sat down. He didn't know how much worse this could get. He already bared his soul of guilt.

"So August I was wondering about you helping Emma with proving my innocence."

"What about it?"

"Why did you do that exactly?" She asked careful.

He examined her kind face trying to figure this queen out. Then he thought he understood.

"Well, I knew it must have been Regina's doing and I couldn't just sit idly by and not help and it would help get Emma to trust me so I could get her to believe."

Snow nodded and said, "So you helped us but it wasn't selfless."

"I haven't done much in my life that was." August said filled with self-pity.

"Oh, August, you still helped us."

"To save myself. I like to think I still would have helped but I guess we'll never know." August really hated this.

"Thank you August."

"For what?"

"Being honest."

August chuckled and said, "That's what I am trying to do for now on. I'm just not sure…"

"You can do it, August it just will take time." Snow said filled with hope.

"Can I ask you something?" August asked.

"Yes, of course." Snow said.

"Why do you want me and Emma to be together?"

"My, my, my aren't we direct?"

"Emma told me you wanted us to be together and I can't help but wonder why. After knowing how much I screwed up, why would you root for us to be together?" August asked honestly.

"It's tough around here for Emma and I just want her to have a shot at her happily ever after."

"Why me though? Why not Neal?" August asked still not believing that anyone would want him to be with Emma, especially since they know who he really is.

"Neal? I know he is Henry's biological father but… he left her to rot in prison. He was a big part the reason why she's so closed off all of the time."

August sat there silently for moment. He did like that Snow did root for him. If he ever did want to really give the idea with Emma a shot romantically she would make an excellent ally. He liked her optimism and hope and that she believed in him so. He would hate to lose that and to pop that hopeful bubble she had made with him.

"Neal did not do that alone. It was actually my idea."

"What?" Snow asked appalled.

"I found them. Neal leaving and setting her up to go to prison was my idea. It was all my idea." August said.

Snow stood up shaking her head and said, "And you and Neal became buddies after that."

"We thought it would lead her on the right path to go to StoryBrooke but then I bailed. I just…"

"Forgot all about her…"

"See, your not so quick to forgive me now."

"August."

"Look I get it. You wanted to help me get redemption so you can feel better about yourself. You want to know that there isn't anything that you can't get back from and all I can do is operate on the hope that I can make up for my mistakes, that I can make amends but no matter what I do I cannot undo what I did. I can't rewrite history; I can't pretend that what I did never happened. It did. And even if I ever earn my redemption I will never deserve her."

"August, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Just know this. You are Snow White and even though you made a horrible mistake you will not be lost, you can come back from that because you doing that did not result in hurting someone you loved and there lies the difference." August said shameful sadness booming through him. Then he got up and said, "Tell Emma I will meet her at the station around lunch time."

He didn't wait for Mary Margret to respond and left.

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews and alerts. Sorry that this chapter was so depressing. It will get better the next chapter will have a little more light heartedness and fun it. For some reason WoodenSwanFire bring out the fun each other, at least that's how I like to write them in this. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I Don't Own OUAT**

**A/N: Happy Wooden Swan Appreciation Week! It's almost over so sad. :( **

**A/N2: Thanks for the reviews, alerts, and faves! It means a lot. **

Emma arrived in the sheriff's station surprised to see her dad stand up in a start as she came in.

"What is it?" She asked immediately on guard.

"You have a visitor."

"I do?" Emma asked.

"Neal, he's in interrogation." David said.

"And you are not in there interrogating?" Emma asked more curious then anything. She kind of liked to see him go into overprotective father mode. It was nice.

"I did, briefly. I went easy on him. He looks like his puppy just died." David said kind of almost looking disappointed that he couldn't go into Over Protective Dad mode too much. See can't even be a proper ex and have her Dad mad at him and put the fear of God in him. He miserable, he had to broke down puppy.

Emma huffed not pleased, "Great."

"Do you want me to come in with you?" David asked.

"I'll handle it. Thanks, though." Emma gave her father a small smile, grateful for him. She was grateful to finally have a father who would look out for her, after spending most of her life alone.

She then took a deep breath and walked in to the interrogation room seeing Neal Cassidy pacing back and forth.

He stopped to look at her and said in a anxious voice and said, "There you are! What took you so long?"

"Well, you know I had a long night. You should know you were there." She said as she walked in calmly.

"Emma, I can't do this. I can't just stand there, look at her lying face, and pretend everything is fine." Neal said in panic mode.

"It won't be long." She reassured him.

"I can't do it, Em, please don't make me." Neal pleaded desperately.

"I won't make you do anything you don't want to do, but it would be great, if you could give me just one day to figure out what she is up to." Emma said in a soothing voice hoping that would calm him down.

"You can still figure it out, if I dump her for cheating. Just because I know she cheated doesn't mean I know anything else."

"She'll still be suspicious and on her guard. Just…can you do me a favor?" She asked him.

"What?" Neal asked miserable.

"Distract her; take her out to eat, for lunch, while me and August go through her things." Emma said.

"We are staying at the same place. Why can't I just go through her things?" Neal protested.

"It's too risky, she could catch you. If you make sure she stays away it will be less of a risk. You should always minimize your risks of getting caught when doing a job, you taught me that." She said deliberately.

His face sunk and he said defeated, "I know, it's just I don't know if I can handle pretending that I don't hate her for a whole lunch."

"Oh, come on you never seduced a girl for a con?" Emma asked her hands placed on her hips unbelieving.

"Never." Neal said looking at her pleadingly.

"Never? Really in all of your 300 years you never pretended to like a girl to steal from her. Or to get her to do something you needed or wanted." Emma said doubting. It was after all what she thought he did for the past eleven years.

"No, every girl I went after I truly meant it. I could not fake that kind of thing." Neal said looking her square in the eyes giving her a piercing gaze.

Emma looked away not really wanting to get into it and analyze what he just told her.

Then she looked back him seeing his broken down face. She gave him a sympathetic look and sighed deeply. He really did look like a sad puppy dog. Even though she still had all of this anger towards him she could not help feel bad for him. She could not help to want to go bursting there in defense of him and want to really beat the crap out of Tamera for putting Neal through this kind of agony. She understood it, she's been there being in a relationship when she discovered the guy was cheating and he was just using her. It did not feel good.

Then she said, "Okay, Neal, you can do this. It is easy. All you have to do is play nice. Smile, laugh at her jokes, and use that famous Neal charm that I knew you did not lose. You can do it, you just need to focus on the end result, and focus on the fact that we are going to bring her down and it will all be worth it."

"It sounds like your speaking from experience." Neal pointed out.

"I am. I used to do this kind of thing for a living." Emma stated the fact.

"What?" Neal asked stunned.

"I was a bounty hunter." Emma said.

"Really? How did that happen?" Neal asked legitimately surprised.

"Long story. It does not matter, what matter's that if I could sit through boring dates with a guy I pretended to be interested in only to find the opportune moment to bring the jerk down then so can you." Emma said as she put her hand on his arm.

Neal laughed grimly, "Great, it's nice to know you did that for living."

"It all worked out. And it gives me a lot of the know-how I need now to help you."

"I'm honored." Neal said looking down not really happy about that at all.

After his talk with Mary Margret August decided to bite the bullet and visit Jiminy. It was not fun keeping on going through the past over and over again. But he could not shake this deep ache away. His encounter with Mary Margret rattled him. How could he ever get passed this? How could he just change and be better and not continue to mess up over and over again?

He took a deep breath as he stared at Jiminy's office. He avoided this place like the plague when the curse was still happening. He was too afraid deep down Archie would remember him, that he's see right through him. Who better to see through all of your BS then your conscience? He never understood that whole conscience thing anyway. Did he still not have one even though he was real? Sometimes it felt that he didn't. It might have just been him being self-absorbed but it felt like temptation was just so much easier for him than anyone else. He just easily gave in. It was just so much harder for him to resist like he was magnetically pulled into the direction of darkness, wrongness, and just making bad choices. He knew that was just an excuse. He just had to get past this.

So he walked into Jiminy's office building. His office door was a jar and he heard voices.

"We have to tell him the truth!" Jiminy yelled.

"We cannot tell him, it will affect him too much. It will not help him to stay on the right path." He heard the sweet voice of the Blue Fairy say calmly.

What in the world was going on?

"A lie of omission is still a lie." Jiminy said angry.

August just stood there stunned to even hear Jiminy be angry. He didn't think his loving and kind hearted voice could even manage such rage. He never got angry. And of all of the people to get angry with it was the Blue Fairy. What in the world was going on?

"He must not know. We promised Jiminy, all of those years ago. No one can know. Magic always comes with a price, yet, no one has questioned his miraculous resurrection either time. Do not challenge me." She said stern.

That was it; they most certainly were talking about him. He could not think about it anymore.

He marched into the office.

"What is going on here?" August demanded.

Jiminy took his glasses and began to clean them nervously and said, "Pinocchio. I didn't think you 'd come."

"Obviously, otherwise you wouldn't be talking about me like that. What was the price?" August demanded filled with fury.

"Pinocchio." The Blue Fairy said in her sweet loving voice.

"No! What was the price for saving me?" They both stood there silent.

"Did someone die so I could live?" August asked horrified. It was bad enough that Emma suffered because he just couldn't measure up. How could he live with himself if someone died for him to live? Then something even worse occurred to him.

"Did two people die?" August asked his voice feeling weak. Just when he thought things could not get any worse. When he thought he could not possibly feel more guilt then he already felt more guilt began to flood him.

The Blue Fairy put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Of course not."

"Then what was the price?" August asked.

"August you do not need to worry about that. You need to concentrate on being good."

"Why?" August asked. There was something off. Something was not right. He never questioned the Blue Fairy before. But he suddenly felt like he had to. How could she keep such a secret from him? How could she bring him back if it brought a dyer consequence?

"August you were given a gift. You were given a second chance in life. Do not waste it by questioning it." She said in a stern voice.

August shook his head bewildered. He never was so angry with her. He remembered moments of guilt. Moments of being alone on his own felling like all he could do was fail her. He didn't know how he could ever measure up to the expectations that she set out for him. He remembered he blamed her then in his despair. He knew that wasn't her fault. At least that is what he told himself. But now it all came back to him. She was now keeping secrets from him when she tasked him in always being truthful.

"You are such a hypocrite! You sit there and tell me to be truthful when you're lying to me!" August yelled.

"We did not lie." The Blue Fairy said firmly.

"A lie of an omission is still a lie. Isn't that right Jiminy?"

"It's complicated." Jiminy said.

"Yeah, I bet!" August said between clenched teeth. Then he left slamming the door shut.

Anger fumed throughout his entire body. He could not believe that they were keeping secrets from him. Could they actually be lying? It didn't sound like anything the Blue Fairy or Jiminy would do. And why in the world would the Blue Fairy trade someone else's life for his own? The way she had talked to him lately with so much self-righteousness and judgment in her tone, it didn't seem like she would try so hard to make sure he lived. August sighed as he found himself standing in front of the sheriff's office. He wasn't planning to come here until lunch time but here he was.

He walked in seeing Emma sitting on her desk looking at a file.

She looked up at him smiling.

"Hey."

"Hey." He said smiling back. There was something about her presence that soothed him causing his anger to disappear.

She stared at him for a time and then asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." He muttered. How did she do that?

"Try again. You can't lie to remember?" She said, stating the fact.

"Right. I was wondering if I could look into something while I'm here." August said nervous. He couldn't believe he was here thinking about this, but he had to know. His mind wasn't be able to rest if he did.

"What?" She asked.

August began to struggle with his words as he rubbed his neck, "Well…uh… actually I was wondering if you can make sure no one died in the past day."

Emma's eyes furrowed. Serious not so happy about the odd request and asked, "Why?"

"I just wanted to make sure… no one died so I can live." He said barely able to get the word out staring at her serious. He could have done this on his own. He didn't have to dump his fears on her like this, but here was telling her his fears.

Emma stared at him blankly.

"What are you talking about August?" She asked her voice getting fierce.

"I never really thought about it before. I mean. I was so young when it first happened. I never really questioned the magic the cured me the first time. But I know now that magic always comes with a price. What if that price was someone else's life?" He asked breathless, fear trickling in his brow. How could he live with that. Wasn't all of his other guilt bad enough.

"What brought this sudden questioning on?" Emma inquired.

"Something Jiminy and the Blue Fairy said. They were arguing about me and how magic always comes with a price. They wouldn't tell me what the price was. I need to know what the price is. I need to know if I'm responsible for someone's…" August asked his voice broke as he about to say life.

"I didn't think Good Magic worked that way. Even though I'm new to this whole magic thing, I thought I knew that much." Emma said.

August still gave her his pleading eyes, looking broken.

"Fine I'll search it. Just to set your mind at ease." Emma said.

Emma put the computer on and went to the hospital data base and said, "No August, no death's had been admitted in the past hour."

August practically sank into the neighboring chair sighing in complete utter relief.

"Thank You, Emma." He said.

"No problem." She said her eyes bore at him reflective for a moment.

Then she asked, "August. Do you think you already paid the price? Do you think you are already paying the price?"

"How?" August asked.

"By having to be so perfect or you'll turn into wood. I mean normal people don't have to pay such huge consequence for making a few mistakes." Emma said.

"I made more than a few mistakes and they're pretty big." August said self- deprecating.

"I am just saying maybe that is your price, maybe it still is?"

August stared at her long and hard for a while and until he finally said, "Maybe you have a point."

"I always had a point. Alright enough self loathing. How about we focus on the task at hand?" She asked.

"Tamera?"

"Tamera."

"I got Tamera and Greg's files. Care to go through them with me?" She asked with a gleeful smile on her face. This was something they were both a little more comfortable in, investigating, looking into something, figuring stuff out. She handed the vanilla envelope to him and he took it starting to look through it.

Then he said, "That was fast."

"I still have some of my old connections from my Bounty Hunter days. He faxed it a little while ago." Emma said.

"Nice." August said with the curve of his lips as he went through Greg's file.

After a little while of looking through it August said,

"Hmmmm."

"What's hmmmmm?"

"It's too perfect."

"Yes, well some people manage to go through their life without a criminal record."

August chose to ignore the remark and focused on the file and said, "It's not just the lack of criminal record. It's the lack of details. It's so vague and generic. That is what you do when you're hiding something, when you're lying." August said.

Emma took the file from his hand and asked, "So what are you telling me I have a bad source?"

He grabbed Tamera's file from her desk and went through it feeling resolved in his theory and then he said, "I don't think it's your source. Who is your contact?"

"He's in the FBI." Emma stated.

"Really? How'd you manage that?" August inquired.

"I have my ways." Emma said giving him her mysterious smile.

"That isn't disturbing that a fake got that high up." August mused.

"Who could do that?" Emma questioned.

"Someone with a lot of clout. Someone who needed Tamera and Greg to be invisible." August said the wheels in his head spinning.

Emma raised her eyebrow and said, "August you cannot be serious."

"She's a spy!" August said almost giddy.

Emma snorted, "Please!"

"Think about it Emma. She traveled the world, carried a lot of money in her purse, poses as cancer patient, and then seduces Neal all to get here. She has spy written all over her." August said almost a little excited.

Emma rolled her eyes.

"I thought you were a believer now?" August asked.

"I believe in Fairy Tales now." Emma said.

"Just not spies." August said chuckling.

"Yeah."

"Because secret government organizations are a long shot than a whole town filled with Fairy Tale characters." August dead panned.

"Fine, let's say she is a spy. What is she after?" Emma questioned.

"Magic." August said with his charming smile.

"What kind of secret government organization would even believe that we would have…? Oh holy hell…Tamera and Greg are the Men in Black." Emma said thinking out loud her eyes wide and baffled she was actually saying this.

"Or something like that. Whoever they are, whatever they want, and they are willing to kill for it." August said grave.

"Okay, that's the running theory but a squeaky clean record isn't going to prove a thing." Emma said thinking about her plan.

"So what do you suggest Sherriff?" August asked with edge of his lips curved.

"We search her room. I got Neal to distract her for a whole lunch." Emma said, sure this plan would work.

"Neal's okay with that?" August asked taken aback by that.

"Not really, but he agreed to do it. The sooner we get proof and bust her the sooner he can be free of her." Emma said with conviction.

August's eyes lingered on her, having this uneasy feeling about her being eager for Neal to break up with his fiancé. Of course it shouldn't bother him though. He should be happy that Neal doesn't have to be trapped in this fake relationship where the girl was using him. He didn't want his friend to suffer through that. He feared that Emma's denial facade would break soon and she would realize her feelings for Neal never truly left her. He always knew that was something he should be hoping for. It was the selfless thing to do. He should stand out of the way and let them be happy. That didn't mean it felt good to think about it though.

"So August. What about it? Will you investigate it with me?" Emma asked her face almost glowing with a giddy smile.

"Lead the way Scully." August quipped/

"Sure thing Mulder." She said with a glimmer in her eye.

Emma and August sat there against the brick wall. Emma was staring at her phone waiting for Neal's text. She laughed grimly.

"I never thought I would be sitting and waiting for Neal, again." She muttered.

"The ironies of life. Huh?" August said giving her a sheepish smile.

"No kidding. I was getting to the point where I thought I'd always be alone and now I'm living in an overcrowded loft with my parents and my kid. And that's just the start of the ironies of my life." Emma said.

"Yep."

Her phone buzzed and she looked down at it.

Emma laughed a bitter laugh.

"What?" August asked.

"He texted Operation My Life Sucks may commence."

"He is Henry's father alright."

"Hmmmm."

"What's hmmmm? Was there a doubt?"

"No, it's just that sounds like something you'd say too." Emma said.

"Yeah, I'd think I remember if I were Henry's father." August said.

"That's not what I meant."

"What did you mean?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders.

"It's just sometimes I saw the two of you together you remind me of Henry too. He definitely has qualities from Neal. There is no question about it. He's his father. There's no doubt about it. Don't even question that August. But I just think it's cool that he's kind of like you both."

"Yeah." August said feeling a bit odd about that. He did really get along with Henry when he first got there. There was this cool camaraderie between the two that was immediate, he supposed they had similar qualities, but that could be because he was friends with his father before.

"Okay, let's get this over with."

August asked, "Are you sure about this?"

"You're not backing out on me. Are you?"

"No. I'm not. But it doesn't have to be a two person job. I can do it on my own. I can understand if this might be hard for you going through your ex's and his fiancé's stuff. "

"Why would that bother me?"

"Emma, you don't have to hide it from me. It's okay if it hurts if you don't want to see the life he made with her."

"It's a fake life."

"It wasn't to him, until last night. So I can understand…"

"August stop it. It is fine. Okay. I will be fine."

"I can do this on my own Emma."

"Yes, you can but we're not alone anymore. Neither of us ever has to go after anything alone ever again. So let's do this together." Emma said.

"Alright then, lead the way Nancy Drew."

They went into Neal and Tamera's room by using the extra key Neal gave her. It was helpful that he was in on the plan now too. They started to search the room. Just as she was about to go through Tamera's bag she heard noises in the bathroom.

She took her gun out ready to investigate.

She motioned August to be quiet as they went to the bath room. August slowly and noiselessly walked towards the bath room and then opened the door.

Then Henry raised his hands up and he said, "Don't shoot! I'm sorry. I skipped school!"

**A/N3: So there it is hope you like it. Let me know what you think. So I kind don't like the Blue Fairy she's on my list of characters I'm mad at. She just expected too much from August but didn't give him a way to do it. I hate how she told kid Pinocchio to do better. How would he know to do better if he didn't even remember and couldn't learn from his mistakes? Anyway in this she still expects so much from him. There's a bigger mystery with her in this. She has her reason for things. I hope you guys like it. So thanks for reading. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I Don't Own Once Upon A Time**

"What are you doing here? Kid?" Emma asked her son trying to sound as authoritative as she could muster.

"I came here to help operation Cobra. Actually we should give it a new name like operation praying mantis." Henry said excited.

"The only operation you are going to be a part of is operation go back to school." Emma scolded; it felt really foreign to her she was not used to that.

"But you're after whatever Evil Tamera is up to. I can help." Henry said eager.

"How do you know that?" August asked.

"Neal told me." Henry said.

Emma's face fell into her palm, exasperated.

Then she said, "Of course he did. That's just great he's teaching our son to be a little criminal."

Then August looked at Henry and then at Emma and then he asked Henry, "Does Neal know you're here?"

"No. I snuck in after he left this after we had Breakfast this morning."

"Rookie." Emma said.

August chuckled.

Then he said, "Emma we don't have long. Why don't we keep on looking with Henry?"

Emma huffed and said, "Okay, fine, let's make this quick."

"Come on Henry." August said tilting his head motioning for Henry to follow him.

Emma meant to go looking on her own but she got distracted by admiring the sight of Henry and August searching for something together. It reminded her how she thought they were so similar and it pulled at her heart how great August was with Henry. Henry took to him immediately.

Then suddenly the door flung open. They all stopped dead in their tracks. Neal walked in stunned as he saw Henry and August looking up from searching in a bag together.

He shook his head his became flush, angrily.

"What the hell is going on here? How could you bring the kid into this?"

August was about to say something and then Neal became more angry, "Wow, isn't this a nice little family outing! How could you let our kid get involved in this with him?!"

"Look Neal." August was starting to say calmly.

Neal cut him off, "Don't look Neal me. You're the one who wanted to stop our life of crime so much that you sent Emma to prison!"

Henry's eyes went wide and asked, "What?"

He looked at August completely heartbroken and betrayed.

Then he ran out of there.

August ran after him.

"Henry!" August yelled.

Emma folded her arms giving Neal the glare of death.

"Great job Neal. You just scarred our kid."

"I'm sorry. I know he has enough scars to last a lifetime. But how could you involve our kid in this. I didn't think this is the life you wanted for him?"

"I didn't, you did."

"What?" He asked shocked and more than a little hurt. There was a reason why this upset him so much. He didn't want his kid to go through what he did. It was bad enough he had to deal with an evil parent, just like he did. He didn't want him to become a criminal like he did as well.

"After your little breakfast, that you forgot to mention by the way, he snuck back in ready to start a new operation after you told him about Tamera. "

Neal rubbed his neck, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to tell him. I was stressed and he was persistent and he pulled it out of me."

Emma sighed with a small smile, "Yeah, he sometimes has that effect."

"He's a cool kid."

"Now August is out there having to explain sending me to jail, after you made him think you had nothing to do with."

"I didn't."

"What?"

"I mean. In a way I did. I left. If I didn't leave it wouldn't have happened. But August was the one who made the call. He was the one who set you up. He didn't tell me what he did until it was too late. It was already done."

"What?" Emma asked in a small couldn't believe she could speak voice.

This was just too much. She could not believe this. She looked at him and asked, "If you blame it all on him. If you hate him so much for doing that? Then why are you such great pals? Huh?"

Neal stammered,"We...we're not…because…in a way we are alike. We were both shoved into this cold hard world having to figure it out on our own."

Then he paused for a moment reflective and said,

"Sometimes in other ways he reminds me of my father."

"What?"

"The way he can be so manipulative in one moment and then so full of hope in the next, the way he makes these elaborate plans and is so focus on one purpose. I hate what he did. I hate that I listened to him but I know in his own twisted way he was just trying to send you home, same as me."

Emma felt emotionally exhausted. She didn't know if she could wrap her mind around these two men who had completely altered her life so much. It tore her up on the inside. It was easier hating Neal. It was easier thinking he did it for his own selfish reasons. She was so done with being fixated at that point in her history. Logically she now probably should transfer her hate from Neal to August but she couldn't do it. Yes, she was done, she was done hating Neal. She knew how unbelievably guilty August felt about it. She still felt pissed and hurt that it was all August's plan and idea. It hurt her. She could not think about this anymore. She had to focus on something else. She still wanted to help August get redemption. She wished it never happened and neither of them would have to go through this pain, but it did and she was ready for the pain to be over.

Then Henry came running in ambushing Emma with a hug and said, "I'm sorry mom for blaming you and being so mean to you about not telling me what really happened with my dad."

"It's okay kid." She said sincerely looking down at her son, grateful he was in her life.

Then she said, "Okay. What are we waiting for? Let Operation Praying Mantis commence."

"I thought it was called Operation My Life…" Neal said and then Emma cut him off.

"You've been overruled."

August silently continued to search not looking anyone in the eye. He was having those similar low feeling like scum feelings overpowering him again. It took a lot for him to stay here and see this through and not run and hide behind a bottle, which is what he usually did whenever he was reminded of his horrible mistakes.

Then Emma sauntered over to him and lightly kicked him in the shin. He finally looked up at her.

"It's okay August, I'm still with you."

"Why? I don't deserve you to be with me."

"No, you truly are trying to change. You've been racked up with guilt. That is all that matters. So let's do this okay."

August nodded and then they smiled at each other. Then August noticed the vent and then Emma saw it and they both opened it together.

Then they found a Taser.

Emma said, "Too bad it isn't anything useful."

"That's it. That is the weapon that killed me."

"A Taser? Seriously? Wood conducts electricity. Even I know that." Emma said.

Then Neal went up to them examining it and said, "Maybe it's magical."

"A magical Taser?" Emma asked amongst her laughter.

Then August said, "It killed this guy named the dragon. He seemed to really know about magic. Tamara killed him with this. She must have."

Then Henry came running to him and asked, "Was he from the Enchanted Forest?"

"I don't know he seemed to be from another world." August said.

Then Emma grabbed the Taser from August ready to examine it further. Then suddenly pink sparks started to flutter. Neal grabbed it away from her.

"Careful, Emma."

"So it is magical." Emma mused out loud.

"It looks that way." August said.

"Well we need to figure out exactly what it does and what Tamera's plans are." Emma said.

"Yeah, we should." Neal agreed.

"So we'll take it to your father. If anyone would know about magical objects, it's him." Emma said to Neal.

"Can't we just take it to the Blue Fairy, instead?" Neal pleaded.

"I don't trust her right now." August confessed.

"And you would trust my father?" Neal asked appalled.

"At least I know what to expect from him. Give it to me and I will deal with him." August said.

Neal held onto the Taser and said, "Not a good idea. This is the magical device that killed you before. What if it goes off somehow?"

"I'm willing to take that risk."

"It's a dumb risk to take." Emma said.

Then August looked around the room.

"Do you have a bag of some kind?" August asked.

Neal took the paper bag and put the Taser in it.

"Emma do you know a…" August started to ask.

"A protection spell? Yes, I do. His father taught me."

"Put your hand on the bag." August said.

"I got this." Emma said as she put her hand on the bag and closed her eyes. Pink energy surrounded the bag.

"Good job." August said.

Emma smiled back at him.

Neal shrugged and said, "Fine, you go to my father find what is up with this… and I need to get back to Tamera before she gets suspicious."

Emma touched his arm gently and said, "Be careful."

"You too. That goes for you too August. My father can be…"

"Don't worry I know how he can get. I can handle him."

Neal nodded and messed with Henry's hair and said, "See you kid, get back to school."

Henry smiled up at his dad.

Then Neal left.

"Alright so are we going to see gramps?" Henry asked.

"No August is going to see him. I am taking you back to school." Emma said.

"Oh mom, come on operation Praying Mantis is way more important than…"

"Sorry kid, besides, August should talk to your gramps on his own. And he'll keep us updated and we'll see what our next step is."

Then August nodded and he looked at Henry sympathetically, "I'll tell you all about it later."

Henry nodded.

August walked in Rumple's shop.

"We're closed." Rumplestilskin said coming from the back.

"I'm not looking to buy anything." August said.

"What are you doing here? I thought you would be more…wood."

"So I take it that means you haven't heard about my miraculous recovery."

"I've been preoccupied."

"I bet." August said.

"What is it that you want? I am a busy man."

August dropped the bag on Rumple's desk.

"Since you haven't heard of my miraculous recovery, I'm guessing you haven't heard I was killed. This is what killed me."

Rumple looked inside of the bag and saw that it was a Taser and laughed.

"A Taser killed you? While you were wood?"

"It's not a regular Taser."

"What is it?"

"That is why I am here. You are going to tell me how it works."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because your son would want you to. We're working together to bring down his fiancé. She's the one who killed me. She was just using Neal to get to the magic in this town."

"I knew he was being a fool, getting engaged to that woman." Rumple mused outloud.

"Yes, well he just wants to move on from it. The sooner we figure out what this does the sooner he can."

"Why didn't he come to me?" Rumple asked weary.

"Why do you think? He has issues with you and magic. I don't." August as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Rumple asked.

"I guess you can always call Neal and find out for yourself."

The Dark One declined and started to move his hand above the Taser. He closed his eyes and then he was jolted for a second. He fell a couple of feet back and steadied himself against the chair.

"Are you okay?" August asked as he went to help him up.

"Oh, just jiffy." He said as he ignored August's outstretched hand and pulled himself up.

"What happened?" August asked.

"It has power." Rumple said.

"What kind of power?" August inquired.

"The kind that can hurt…" Rumple muttered.

Rumple stopped square in his tracks as he stared at the Taser like it had a life of its own.

"There's…it's…it's carrying life force. Not just one but many."

"Life…forces… like…souls." August said trying to wrap his mind around what he was hearing.

"Tomato…Tomoto."

"She killed me. She used it on me. Does that mean that my soul is in there?" August asked desperately.

"No one can live without a soul." Rumple replied in a matter of the fact manner.

"So the Blue Fairy must have moved it somehow?"

"I suppose so."

"You suppose? Isn't there a way to know for sure?" August asked panicked.

"It would require for me to touch it. It could suck out my magic. I could die." Rumple said.

August punched the counter angry.

"Careful."

"There has to be a way. I need to know what's wrong with me. I need to know what price was paid for my life." He said slamming both of the palms of his hands angrily.

"Is that all? No need to fret dearie. I can do that. Easy."

He put his hands on August's temple, August fidgeted.

"Stay still." Rumple demanded.

August stood still after that. He tensed up slightly freaked out the Dark One was this close to his face.

Rumple closed his eyes and whispered, "Show me the price that was paid for his life."

Then his eyes opened up suddenly and they glazed over completely white going into a cationic state.

August dare not touch him. He remembered the stories of Rumplestilskin being a Seer. He was where the whole prophesy of Emma being the Savior came from.

Rumple's eyes suddenly opened and the white ghost like cloud over his eyes disappeared.

He looked up at August startled.

"What did you see?" August asked with nervous anticipation. This was it he was finally going to get some kind of answers.

"Get out!" Rumple yelled.

"What happened?"

"Get out! Get out!" He continued to yell his rage boomed throughout the entire room.

August didn't have to be told any more. He ran out of there. He didn't even look back. Well, that was productive. Now this made him worry even more about the mystery of what was the price of his life. What could have the Dark One have seen that upset him so much? He tried to connect all of the clues together but he was still falling short, a feeling he was used to far too often in his life.

Neal went back to lunch with Tamera before they ordered when they first were getting lunch together. He got antsy and she could tell. So he lied and told her he forgot his wallet. He didn't know how long he could take sitting across that woman without screaming and yelling and asking her 'why' and if she ever loved him at all. He should have known that she was too sweet, kind, and perfect. He should have known that the timing wasn't divine intervention, but a con. She arrived just when the possibility of seeing Emma was at its highest. It was getting so close and he could not help but see her scowl and disappointed eyes bearing in his soul. He didn't think he could take that. He didn't think he could handle that. He just wanted to move on so badly and Tamera had literally fell into him, so he took it as a sign. Now here he was having to fake smiles and happiness to a woman who had apparently been doing the same thing from the beginning. It was just one more reason to add to the list of reasons why his life sucked. So he went to see if he could at least help for a little bit before he had a chance to get back to the fakeness.

Then he arrived to see August and Emma going on their mission of going through his and Tamera's stuff with his and Emma's kid. He didn't want to, but everything was building up and he just exploded. August was the reason he couldn't have his family, all of those years ago. It just erupted. Dispite that eruption, that big revelation didn't seem to phase Emma and Henry as much as he thought it would. They were both jolted by the revelation he could tell, but Henry still came in there willing to work with August. Emma still smiled at August, she still flirted with him, and they probably would still…

Neal shook himself out of those thoughts He got back to Tamera, who was talking on the phone. She hurried and hung up the phone when she saw him. Then she smiled sweetly, it made his stomach churn.

"What took you so long? I missed you."

_Sure you did. You probably were talking to your boyfriend you deceiving whore!_

"Sorry, you know how I get with misplacing my stuff."

"Yeah."

He worked hard not to roll his eyes. He never misplaced his stuff.

"So what are we having?" Neal asked.

"I waited for you." Tamera said.

"Thanks, you're always thinking of me."

_I hate you so much. How many times have I let that sweet act fool me?_

"How could I not?" She asked sweetly and then she lightly touched his hand he had to remind himself not to immediately pull away. He counted to five and then he casually let go as he took the menu.

"So let's see what this place has." Neal said as he was about to read the menu.

"It's a far cry from New York." Tamera said haughtily.

"It beats finding food in the garbage." Neal said.

"Oh, my poor baby having to live on the streets."

_Oh I don't want your sympathy Bitch!_

Neal knew he had to focus. What was it that Emma taught him? You have to focus on the final goal, the reason why you endure the awfulness of the fake date. His final goal was to be free of her, to keep his town safe, and protect his son. Then he could focus on being a good dad to his kid and to make sure his kid doesn't turn out like him.

They began to order and afterwards they were left with an awkward silence. This just sucked.

Then suddenly his phone buzzed.

"Sorry." He opened his text.

**Operation My Life Sucks has a small hitch. Found out Tamera's victims' souls are still in the Taser.**

**WHAT?**

Neal looked up at Tamera.

"Whose that?"

"Oh it's August."

He figured it was ok to say that since he had kept in touch before. She even walked in on one of their calls before.

"How is he after the ordeal?"

"Oh still a whiney little baby. Upset he can't remember." He said hoping that she bought that.

"You're a good friend to him."

"Yeah."

Then a new text came:

**So far there is no way to get them out or to find out who or how many souls are in there.**

**OK we'll figure it out. Bring the Taser back before she notices it's missing.**

**Can't.**

**Why not?**

**Your father has it.**

**Y did u leave it there?**

**It's complicated.**

**Everything with you is complicated! **

**Something happened. Can't you just get it?**

"Is everything ok?" Tamera asked sounding concerned, he knew it was fake.

"Everything's fine. He just loves to complain. He hates not knowing everything."

"Must be hard."

"He'll live." Neal said as he typed one last one thing on his phone.

**Fine. U owe me!**

**Thank You! **

Neal put away his phone.

"Sorry about that."

"It's ok. Who am I to get in the way of two bros?"

_Oh yeah you didn't want to get in the way of me and my 'bro' so much that you killed him! You murdering Bitch!_

He knew he had to let go of those destructive thoughts and how awful Tamera was. He then began to focus on his food, while he mentally prepared himself to see his father. He thought things were going to actually get better when his papa almost died. He realized of course he loved him and he could never let anything happen to him. After he heard his heart felt confession to his girl, he realized that his father wasn't completely lost to the curse of the Dark One since he did have love in his heart. He saw that love could actually make him better. He actually believed him. But it's been a few days and his father hasn't contacted him yet. He thought since his father has done all of this cursing a whole town to bring him back that he would be the first to reach out. But nope, thanks to his wonderful formerly wooden pal he had to be the first to reach out, story of his life.

He walked into his father's shop. He found his father in the back room working on his magic on a dream catcher of all things.

"What are you doing?" Neal asked.

Rumple jumped up startled he looked like he might retaliate and yell but then he looked at him and his hard upset face softened.

"Bae." He said tenderly.

"What's going on? What happened with August? Why is he so afraid to see you?" Neal asked.

"A lot of people are afraid of me." Rumple shrugged off.

"He wasn't before."

His father sighed.

"Why didn't you see me Bae?"

"I was waiting for you to see me. After all of the effort you went through to find me why just lose contact now?"

"I'm sorry Bae I was just trying to be better for you and …"

"Belle makes you better and she lost her memories so your working on a memory cure for her."

"Exactly Bae, I didn't want to fall on old habits and screw everything up."

"But that is exactly what you're doing thinking magic can solve everything. It can't."

"Bae. I'm trying here."

"Ok so try; tell me what happened with August." Neal said.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter. If you want to show me that you have changed or at least trying to change, then don't leave me in the dark tell me the truth. What happened?"

Rumplstilskin looked at his son long and hard.

"How do you know August?" He asked.

"Dad you can't change the subject, please just tell me what happened?"

"I know and will tell you just answer me, please son."

"He came to me, he's how I found out who Emma really was and about the curse."

Rumple stared at him pensive.

"Now are you going to tell me what happened? Or not?"

"That device it sucks magical creatures essence."

"Yeah, August mentioned that it took souls."

"Yes, well that led to wanting to know what was the price of his life, so I found out, at least that is what I was trying to do."

"And?"

"And I'm not sure what it means."

"What did you see?"

He stood silent for a moment.

Then Neal asked him again, urging him to answer, "Papa! What did you see?"

Neal waited for his papa to speak.

Then he finally said, "Me."

**A/N: So this one was a hard one to bring out there, with having to deal with it being August's idea to send Emma to prison. I really don't want to dwell on that and be stuck that too much. But it was necessary for them to address that issue so they can finally move on from it. I was also weary to publish this since some of this focuses on Neal. I don't want to make Neal look like the innocent victim and August look bad. I love both characters. And I do like to explore their relationship. And I hope you like my little twist with Rumple. More will be explained about Rumple's connection with August in the next chapter. Alright thanks for reading, reviewing, and alerting.**


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